Mower



July 2,v 1946. S. E. HILBLoM` vMOWER Filed' July 2e, 1945 ,Y 2 snags-sheet 1 ,NN umm July 2, 1.946..' s. E. HILBLOM MowER Filed July 26, 1943 2 Sheets-sheet '2 WOW@ fw @E C @if mnu! J .y

Patented July 2,1946

MOWER Samuel E. Hilblom, Chicago, Ill., asslgnor to International Harvester Company, a 4corporation of New Jersey Application July ze, 1943, serial No. 496,105

. l 'I'his invention relates to a new and improved implement such as a mower and has for one of its principal objects the provision of a mower capable of both horizontal and vertical movement and a hydraulic lift to actuate the vertical move- 11 claims. (ci. 5ta-2s) ment and means to permit the horizontal movement without disconnecting or otherwise interfering with the hydraulic lift for the vertical movement Aof the mower.-

Numerous mowers have been equipped with these two ranges of movement, namely, horizontal and vertical, and an equal number of interlocking mechanisms have been employed on the mower to permit the one range of movement without interfering with the actuation of the other range of movement. It is, therefore, an object of the present invention to provide an improved interlocking device for enabling the hydraulic lift to move the mower through its vertical range of movement and still allow a rearward horizontal swinging of the mower upon striking an obstruction without-actually unlocking anything, and, immediately upon the return of the mower to its normal operating position, the hydraulic lifting device may lift the mower vertically without the usual connecting of elements such as ordinarily accompany mowers of this type.

An important object of this invention is to maintain a combined handand power-operated lifting mechanism for mowers and means associated with said lifting means to permit swinging of themrnower through a second range of movement without disconnecting anything or having'to reconnect anything upon the return of the mower to its normal position in order to lift the mower either by hand or power.

Other and further important objects of this invention will become apparent from the following specification and accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a top plan view of a tractor mower incorporating the novel features of this invention;

lFigure 2 is a side elevational View of the mower shown inFigure 1'; and

Figure 3 is a detail perspective view of the mower-lifting .elements shown attached to the tractor, portions of which have been removed for complete visibility of the lifting elements.

As shownin the drawings, the reference numeral indicates generally a chassis of an agricultural tractor with rear axle housing I2, at the outer ends of which are mounted wheels I3, and a draw-bar I4 extending rearwardly of the tractor. The forward end of the tractor is not shown as it forms no part of the present invention. A

power take-ofi' I6 inv the form of a square tube extends rearwardly of the tractor chassis and acts to drive a mower I1, which comprises a frame member I8, a shoe I9, and a sickle or cutter-bar 2| adapted to reciprocate on the body portion 22 of the mower. The frame lI8 of the mower I1 is hinged to the draw-bar`l4 at 23 about which the mower I1 may be swung rearwardlyin a horizontal plane. Upon such swinging rearwardly, a

telescoping connecting link 24 attached to the axle housing I2 and to the mower I1, extends to its limiting position, as determined by the abutment of stops 26 and 21, thereupon limiting the. rearward swinging of the mower |I. Normally.'

this telescoping member 24 holds the mower in its operating position. that is, extending outwardly from the side of the tractor until such time as it strikes an obstruction, whereupon the telescoping member 24 is released, allowing rearward swinging of the mower to save the latter from damage.

The drive for the mower cutter-bar 2| is taken 'from the rotary power take-off shaft I6 through a first universal joint 20 which is joined by square telescoping shaft members 28 and 28' to a second universal joint 29. The universal joints 29 and 29 and the included telescoplng square shafting 28 and 28 enable the mower to swing rearwardly and still maintain a driving engagement with the power take-off I6. The drive continues rear- 30 wardly through a shaft 3i, which is journaled for rotation in a bearing 30, to a pulley 35. The bearing 30 is supported by vertically positioned brackets 30' extending upwardly from and supported on the tractor draw-bar I4. A V-belt 35' driven by the pulley 35 proceeds downwardly to drive a pulley keyed or otherwise attached to a shaft journaled in a bearing 45. A fly-wheel 32 also vvertically by means of a lever 36 through suitable linkage 31, 38, and 39. The entire mower including the frame I8 does not lift vertically, but rather the cutterbar 2| is hinged in the usual way at its inner end at 4I, so that, when the upper end of the lever 36 is moved forwardly, the lever arm 31 is raised, causing the connecting links 38 and 39 to also raise, and, inasmuch as the lower end of the link 38 is attached to the mower body 22 at 43, the cutter-bar 2| is lifted about the hinge 4l. The lever 36, as shown in Figure 3, is keyed to a shaft-like extension 44 of the lever arm 31. This rock-shaft 44 is carried on the mower frame I8, and, upon rearward swinging of the mower I1, the rock-shaft 44 likewise moves rearwardly about the hinge member 23.

A downwardly depending lever arm 46 secured to theI lever 36 is equipped at its lower end with a cup-shaped member 4l, as best shown inFlgure 3. A hydraulic or fluid-actuated power-lift cylinder 48 is hingedly connected to the tractor at 49. This cylinder 48 is equipped with a reciprocating piston-actuated rod 5I, which has a ball-shaped element "52 at its end adapted to be received loosely in the cup-shaped socket 41 of the downwardly depending lever arm 46. It

, will be seen that an outward extension of the piston 5| from its cylinder 48 -will cause the lever arm 46 to be pushed rearwardly, and, inasmuch as it is integral with the lever 36, thev lever arm 31 will be swung upwardly in a manner similar to that caused by a forward movement of the upper part of the lever 36. The piston rod 5I ls movable vertically in a slot 53 formed in a bracket 54 fastened to the draw-bar I4 at 56. A pair of springs 5l and 58 surround the piston rod 5I and are separated by a washer-like member 59, which is aillxed to the piston rod 5I. The spring 61 acts to normally extend the piston rodV 5|, and the spring 58 acts to normally counteract such extension of the piston rod 5l. As the lever arm 46 moves rearwardly, it will be seen that it forms an arc about the shaft 44, and as it progresses rearwardly, the cup-shaped socket 41 at its lower end rises, thereby necessitating the piston rod 5| and its ball-shaped end 52 to likewise rise in order to properly engage the cup 41. The rising of the piston is accomplished by the hinging of the power cylinder 48 at 49 and movement of the piston rod 5I upwardly through the guide slot 53.

As previously stated, when the mower I1 swings rearwardly, the shaft 44 likewise moves rearwardly,` and therefore'the upwardly extending lever 36 and the depending lever 46 likewise move with the shaft 44. I'he power unit 48 and its associated piston rod 5I remain with the tractor and do not shift rearwardly upon rearward movement of the mower, and therefore a means must be provided between the power unit and the movable part of the mower to enable .the mower to be lifted vertically whenever the mower is in its normal operating position. The present ball and socket joint, capable of readily separating and automatic alinement upon bringing the mower to its operating position after having swung rearwardly, is the solution to this problem. Heretofore, the power lifting devices employed on tractor mowers of :this type have been adapted to pull a cable over sheaves, or the like, to cause lifting of the mower with respect to the tractor, and in such construction it has been necessary to provide break-away means for such cable connections and a refastening of these connecting elements upon bringing the mower to its operating position.

It will be apparent that herein is provided a. novel tractor mower which permits the mower Vto move both horizontally and vertically with respect to the tractor and yet does not require a complicated interconnecting means to enable the mower to be released rearwardly through its horizontal movement upon striking an obstruction otherwise than as necessitated by the prior art.

f What is claimed is:

1. In a mower having a support and a cutterbar connected thereto forv movement through horizontal and vertical ranges, means for directly raising the cutter-bar vertically, said means comprising a lever hinged on said support and arranged to lift said attachment upon swinging l movement thereof, said lever having 'a cupshaped socket at one end thereof and a ypush rod having a ball-shaped end adapted to loosely and separably engage the cup-shaped socket, whereby the mower bar is permitted horizontal movement without any hindrance from the separable ball and socket connection for the vertical movement of the mower. l

`2. In a tractor-mounted mower movable both l horizontally and vertically with respect to the tractor, a powerunit on the tractor having a reciprocable, piston, and a lever hinged on the mower adapted to directly lift the mower vertically, said piston in alinement with and adapted to engage and tilt said lever, whereby the mower may be moved horizontally rearwardly and returned to operating position with the piston and lever remaining in alinement.

3. In a tractor-mounted mower having a cutter-bar movable both horizontally and vertically with respect to the tractor, alever hinged for swinging movement on the mower and arranged to cause vertical swinging movement of said cutter-bar with respect to the mower, a downward extension of said lever having a cup-shaped bottom, and a power-operated piston associated with saidtractor and adapted to be positively alined with said cup-shaped lever bottom when y the lcutter-bar is in its normal operating position, whereby when the'cutter-bar is moved rearwardly the cup and piston separate and when the cutter-bar is returned to operating position the piston and cup are again operatively alined so that when the piston is extended the cutterbar is raisable thereby.

4. In a tractor mower having a frame and a cutter-bar hinged lthereto for vertical svwnging movement, a fluid cylinder on the tractor, a piston selectively extended or withdrawn in said cylinder, said piston having a ball-shaped end, and a lever hinged on said frame for eifecting the vertical swinging of said cutter-bar, said lever having an open cup-shaped socket whereby upon extension of said piston and engagement of said ball-shapedA end with said socket on the lever the cutter-bar is raised.

5. In a tractor mower having at least two ranges' of movement, a hydraulic cylinder having a reciprocating piston, said piston having a ball-shaped end, the mower Ihaving a frame hinged to the tractor for horizontal swinging, a cutter-bar hinged to said frame for vertical movement, and a lever hinged on the mower frame for directly liftingsaid cutter bar, said lever having a cup-shaped socket on a depending portion thereof adapted to loosely receive the ball-shaped end of the piston whereby upon extension of said piston the cutter-bar is raised.

6. In a tractor mower having at least two ranges of movement, a hydraulic cylinder having a reciprocating piston, said piston having a ballshaped end, the mower having a frame hinged to the tractor for horizontal swinging, a cutter-bar hinged to said frame for vertical movement, a lever on the mower frame for lifting said cutter bar, said lever having a cup-shaped socket on a depending portion thereof adapted to loosely receive the ball-shaped end of the piston, and means for releasing the mower frame for rearward horizontal swinging, whereby the cupshaped socket is also'moved rearwardly and upon return of the mower frame toits operating position, the ball and piston and the cup-shaped socket are in operative relationship whereupon extension of the piston causes the ball to engage the socket and so raise the cutter-bar.

7. In a tractor mower having at least two ranges of movement, a hydraulic cylinder having a reciprocating piston, said piston having a ballshaped end, the 'mower having a. frame hingedV to the tractor for horizontal swinging, a cutterbar hinged to said fram-e for vertical movement, and a lever on the mower frame for lifting said cutter-bar, said lever having a cup-shaped socketl each other, said frame hinged to said tractor for horizontal movement, a lever arm on said frame, linkage associated with said lever arm for raising and lowering the cutter-bar, power means on the tractor for actuating said lever, said power means comprising a hydraulic cylinder with a controlled reciprocating piston, a ballshaped end on said piston and an openly ilared socket on a depending portion of said lever arm, and means for maintaining the piston ball end in alinement with said socket when the mower is in operative cutting position, whereby the mower may be swung horizontally rearwardly and returned to operative cutting position and upon an extension of said piston the ball will engage the socket on the lever and raise the cutter-bar.

9. In a tractor having a mower mounted for operative cutting position at one side thereof,

said mower comprising a trame anda cutterbar hinged for vertical movement with respcctto each other, said frame hinged to said tractor for horizontal movement, a lever arm on said frame,

linkage associated with said lever arm for raising and lowering the cutter-bar, power means on the tractor for actuating said lever, said power means comprising an hydraulic cylinder with a hinged for vertical movement with respect to 4 with said socket comprising a bracket afxed to the frame and having a vertical slot therein through which the piston passes. l

10. In a tractor having a mower mounted for operative cutting position at one side thereof, said mower comprising a frame and a cutter-bar hinged for vertical movement with respect to each other, said'frame hinged to said tractor for horizontal movement, a lever arm on said frame, linkage associated with said lever arm for raising and lowering the cutter-bar, power means on the tractr-for actuating said lever,

said power means comprising a hydraulic cylinder with a controlled reciprocating piston, a ballshaped end on said piston and an openly ared socket on a depending portion of said lever arm, and means for maintaining the piston b all end in alinement with said socket when the mower is in operative cutting position, whereby the mower may be swung horizontally rearwardly and returned to operative cutting position and upon an extension of said,piston, the ball will engage the socket on .the lever Iand raise the cutter-bar, said means for maintaining the ,piston ball end in alinement with said socket comprising a bracket aixed to the frame and having a vertical slot thereinthrough which the piston passes, and said lever arm having an upward extension for manual operation thereof.

11. In a tractor having a mower mounted for operative cutting position at one side thereof, said mower comprising a frame and'a cutterbar hinged for vertical movement with respect t0 each other, said frame hinged to said tractor for horizontal movement, a lever arm on said frame. linkage associated with said lever arm vfor rais- `ing and lowering the cutter-bar, power means hinged on the tractor f or actuating said lever, said power means comprising a hydrauliccylnder with a controlled reciprocating piston, a ballshaped end on said piston and an openly flared socket on a depending portion of said lever arm.

and returned to operative cutting position and I upon anextension of said piston, the ball will engage the socket on the lever, thus 4tilting the lever and raising the cutter-bar, said means for maintaining the piston ball end in alinement with said socket comprising a bracket aixed to the controlled reciprocating piston, a ball-shaped end frame and having a vertical slot therein through which the piston hingedly swings.

7 SAMUELL E. rmLoM. 

